I went for my psych test today and she asked questions for an hour and at the end she said we will do the testing in a few days and then we're finished. I was like I have to have more testing and that's when she explained the 585ish questions. She said it's mandatory.

I went to someone locally here so I wonder if it would be different if I would have went to someone the Dr. recommended.(which the dr said I could go to whomever)

Anways, disappointed about that. Dang, 585 questions???

yeah I had to do a big test! it was a bunch of T/F ?'s it wasn't too bad.

I had to do the long question thing first. Then we talked for about 2 hours about the surgery, my past, eating habits etc. My whole appt lasted about 3 hours and I didn't have to have any other ones. I was approved by him and on to the next steps.

That long test is a pretty standard psych evaluation tool. It's really no big deal. They just need to weed out people with true psychiatric diseases.It's impossible to "cheat" this test so just relax and answer honestly and you will be fine. Mine came out that I was totally average...LOL....I guess that is good!

I had a questionnaire to fill out. My appointment is on Wed. This is the first time I have ever gone to see one. My DH says his money is on me. :biggrin:

That's interesting, I hadn't heard of that. I had a one hour visit with the psychologist and she told me she thought I'd be an excellent candidate for surgery, I was approved, and that was that! Guess I got off easy. She and I really hit it off, she was a few years older than me and also got a lap band about 7 years ago. We had a very good chat for that hour.

I think the 585 questions are probably a good idea, they really do have to screen out people who won't be able to deal with the lap band, might freak out, have unrealistic expectations, etc. I think those things are kind of fun to do but then I'm strange that way, lol.

I have my Physc eval this coming Thursday. I am able to do my "Test" and review in one appointment. I was also told that the entire thin would last about 3hrs. I has not told how many questions were on the test but I was told it would take up to 2hrs to complete. :biggrin:

Hello, I also had to take the 500 plus questionaire and the thing that was so funny was that some of the questions seemed the same. After I came home I talked to my sister-in-law and she told me that they intentionally designed the questions to be the same in a slightly different way just to see if you are crazy enough to answer the same question differently.

I actually did my questionaire first which took about one hour in a half then he talked to me for about another hour. It went great I thought and appearently he did also because, he sent my information in to my weightloss center stating that I am a good candidate for surgery.

Wow my visit with the psychologist was really a visit with a social worker making sure I would have a good support base. She did ask why I wanted to be banded and what my expectations were and what I thought would be the most difficult about it but no big test certainly nothing with 500 questions. I did have to take a behavior modification class and we did some true false stuff there to find out about issues with boundries and stresses.

The doctor asked me several questions, and told me that sometimes he will make his patients take other tests, but some he can get a good feel for right away. I guess I was one of those. I didn't have to take any other test. He was a very easy person to talk to (and even joke around with a bit).

Hi, you may wish to look up "MMPI-2", (Google it, or look it up on Wikipedia). You should know that it is a very comprehensive personality profile. It screens for true psychopathology, (Axis I) but also reviews and tests for personality disorders, (all the Axis II stuff). It is a fairly competent test and usually is valid. It is rather intrusive, and personal. I would recommend you place in your medical file, a letter that under no circumstances is the test, or the findings to be released to any to other person, doctor or organization without your written approval. The psychologist that interprets the test should explain his/her credentials, and the test results. If you think a gynecological exam is personal and private, this test is doubly so.

I had some kind of test although I don't think it was that big. The bariatric center I went through requires 4-6 sessions with the psychologist. I didn't have to have the four as It was determined that I was ready for the surgery. For "professsional" dieters - like most of us I expect that we don't need all the information given. I had to chart daily food (protein, carb, etc), water, exercise and emotions - pretty much a pain but to get approved, you had to do it. :biggrin:

Thanks so much for your response. I appreciate all the great information.

Sandra

Sounds like there's a couple variations. I went to one my docs office recommended, and the minute he sat down he basically said "you're not going to "fail" this, I just to chat with you as part of protocol". And then he asked me family history, why I wanted it, did I understand it, was I ready for the change etc. Lasted maybe 30 to 45 min at the most. No written exam required. Paper was sent over saying recommended for surgery.

Tina

My experience was also a short process. I say a pysc my surgery center recommended, it was only one visit that lasted maybe 15-30 minutes. No written test. He said I was "an excellent candidate for this surgery" and said he would fax his report to my surgery center the next day. He did, they submitted my packet to ins. and I was approved. It all depends on the process you are using to work through all your criteria for ins. I went to a surgery center that all they do is help you meet the criteria that your particular ins. is requiring. It was a well organized machine.

There are a couple variations to the Minnesota Multi Phasic Inventory (MMPI). I have taken both the short and long versions. When I went for my Physc Eval for Lap-Band, I took the short version. I have to take the long version every 3 years at work... You know just to still make sure that I don't hate my mother, enjoy kinky sex (depends on what you thinks kinky:tt2:), or enjoy marijuana (not enough to tell you about it!).